International flora, gardening expo from Sep 26

Chennai, Sept 3 (UNI) The fourth International Flora Expo, along with the third International Landscape and Gardening Expo and Florist and Flora Art Expo would be held in New Delhi from September 26 to 28 to give a fillip to floriculture sector.

Addressing a press conference here today, Chief Coordinator of the expo S Jafar Naqvi said the main theme of this event would be to highlight the potential business and investment opportunities and also to promote floriculture as a 10,000 crore business opportunity, creating a million jobs.

He said floriculture has tremendous exports potential, but there was a setback in exports recently, in view of the sudden boom in real estate, which led to the closure of mega floriculture export units in Pune and Bangalore region.

"The forthcoming meet should provide a platform for all to work out a viable strategy to give a fillip to floriculture, and horticulture", he said adding though there was a fall in export, the domestic sector was growing from strength to strength.

Mr Naqvi said India's share in the 11 billion US dollar global market for flowers and flower products was only 0.65 per cent, but the growth potential was large.

He said the expos were being organised to help farmers in the rural areas and give them the market exposure. There was also a huge market for readymade grass lawn. Real estate developers have shown interest in readymade grass lawns and avenue trees, he added.

There was also a huge opportunity for export of trees, he said and added it was technologically possible to export Mango trees, instead of mangoes.

The Bonsai trees sector would also be focused in the expo, he added.

He said the cut flower market was estimated to be more than Rs 1,000 crore and it was growing at the rate of 40 per cent.

The market for greens and ornamental flowers was estimated at Rs 250 crore, he added.

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